decks I was wrong about - mea culpa ;)

I'd been putting off buying the Thoth for about five years. If I'm honest, its associations with Crowley and his brand of ceremonial magic frightened me. But this year, my understanding of things developing and deepening, I finally took the punt and bought it. I actually bought it from a shop in London and the lady behind the counter said that Crowley himself used to visit when he was alive. Certainly added a bit of magic to the purchase.

I have bought a lot of decks this summer and only yesterday came to the Thoth to attempt a first proper reading. I had been expecting a harsh and quite judgmental energy to it, but couldn't have been more wrong. It was gentle and extremely clear in its messages and I am thrilled that it is. I had been worried the learning curve would be too steep.
As for trimming borders, I'd considered buying another pack to do just that and may yet do so

Starla
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starla said:

...As for trimming borders, I'd considered buying another pack to do just that and may yet do so

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I did it with the large green-boxed version; the final size was perfect (for me).

Pretty cool about that London shop! Interesting that how/where we acquire a deck can also shape our feelings about it. Makes me wish I had a tarot shop in my area.

starla said:

I'd been putting off buying the Thoth for about five years. If I'm honest, its associations with Crowley and his brand of ceremonial magic frightened me. But this year, my understanding of things developing and deepening, I finally took the punt and bought it. I actually bought it from a shop in London and the lady behind the counter said that Crowley himself used to visit when he was alive. Certainly added a bit of magic to the purchase.......

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I once spent a pleasant hour at the New Orleans bar which inspired Crowley's essay Absinthe: the Green Goddess.

Actually my experience with tarot decks has been the opposite of that of most people. Sometimes I have thought that I might like certain decks, but after I got them, I realized that I didn't like them after all. I am now in the position of disliking almost all tarot decks except for the Big Three: TdM, RWS, and Thoth. Obviously I'm not a good ATer.

Yes - Mystic Faerie. I said it was pap, pretty but vapid, would only deliver pretty readings and a whole lot more. But the book was a good story.... I then read with it on a bet.

I took it ALL back, very publicly here somewhere ! It was VICIOUS ! (and spot on, my sitter said !)

I bought the Tarot of the Master (Lo Scarabeo's coloring of the Vachetta deck), thinking that it would be an art deck, not a reading deck. When it arrived, i even had a bit of buyer's remorse. "Another deck I just *had* to buy but will probably never read with," I thought. But I had put it down for Deck of the Week readings so I did some, and wow, this deck could not be more fun. So friendly, so chatty, so easy to read even though it is pre-RWS and has what I would generously call semi-illustrated pips. I'm not crazy about the forest-green borders, but I can live with them, because this deck loves to talk.

And also it has a REALLY GOOD spread in the LWB. I can't think of another deck I own of which I could say that. I must confess, I mostly find LWBs laughable, and of course there is LS's fractured English to ice the cake... But it is a very useful 4-card spread, adaptable to many questions. I use it often and it, like the deck, seems always almost magically to spill the beans.

The Paulina. Silly, girly stuff. Repeated use of the word "whimsical"in descriptions and reviews bothered me. It looked scribbly and a bit "1970s birthday cards for 12 year olds" But I bought it and slowly learnt to love it. Now it is among my favourites - weirdly enough. I find its scribblings slightly foreboding now and the artwork feels very rich and accomplished.

None of the subsequent decks have the same magic. When she goes minimal it doesn't quite work for me.

Le Fanu said:

...It looked scribbly and a bit "1970s birthday cards for 12 year olds"

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You're cracking me up!

Tarot of the Master

I so agree with Annabel. I got it for historical interest mostly, and because the price was really good. However, it proved to be just like you said:

annabel398 said:

So friendly, so chatty, so easy to read

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Never regretted getting it.

Great idea for a thread!

For me I think it would have to be the Tarot Illuminati.

I just wasn't sure this deck was for me.

I had a change of heart and ordered it and it's been one of my favorite decks ever since. I look at it constantly and my world shines a little brighter.

annabel398 said:

I bought the Tarot of the Master (Lo Scarabeo's coloring of the Vachetta deck), thinking that it would be an art deck, not a reading deck.

....

And also it has a REALLY GOOD spread in the LWB. I can't think of another deck I own of which I could say that. I must confess, I mostly find LWBs laughable, and of course there is LS's fractured English to ice the cake... But it is a very useful 4-card spread, adaptable to many questions. I use it often and it, like the deck, seems always almost magically to spill the beans.

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That sounds really great. I'd love to know that spread! Is it possible to post it somewhere on the boards? I really like 4 card spreads, for me it's the ideal number of cards - just the right amount of information.